The present invention relates to a maintenance information supply system to report its adequate inspection time and/or the part replace time, for example, to an electric device such as a digital camera, a host computer which is its component, and electronic device, and further, to an electronic device having therein a function to report its adequate inspection time and/or part replace time.
In the light of the recent enhancement of the interest to the environment issues, from the point of view of the waste discharge amount reduction, in the future, it is considered that the product life of each product is extended. Also in the electronic device, it is not an exception, and it is considered that the product life is further extended. Then, accompanied by the increase of the product life, it is important for prolonging the product life that the maintenance for the electronic device (periodic inspection, replacement of the consumed part) is adequately conducted. That is, for the electronic device manufacturer, it is required that the adequate and fine after-service is realized.
However, when considered the recommended display of the periodic inspection for the present electronic device, it is uniform and there is often a case where it does not always match the actual condition. For example, in a copier, every time when the number of copies reaches a predetermined value, there is a copier structured such that the recommended display of the periodic inspection is conducted, however, because the adequate inspection time changes due to the working environment in which the copier is installed, even when the periodic inspection time of all the copiers is determined according to the number of copies, it is never the situation that the maintenance is conducted at an adequate time.
Further, a situation that the maintenance is conducted before the adequate time, results in a case that the unnecessary maintenance is conducted for the copier, and a situation that the maintenance is conducted after the adequate time, results in a case that the product life of the copier is shortened.